My Philosophy

I believe that all bodies should be celebrated and respected. You are the expert of your own body. It's my job to listen to (and honor) your lived experience and to help guide you to find and trust that inner wisdom so that you can have a more peaceful relationship with food, your body and movement.

My approach includes:

Weight Neutrality
Health at Every Size/Non Diet
Trauma Informed

Each treatment plan is individualized to meet your specific needs, values and goals.

What is a NON Diet, weight neutral Dietitian?

A Non Diet Dietitian will help you make behavior changes regardless of weight status. Weight neutrality means you are more than a number. It is the belief that a person's health status, risk level, or quality of life cannot be assumed based solely on a number on a scale. Evidence has shown that this approach is effective at promoting lasting behavior change while minimizing weight stigma.

A Non Diet Dietitian will help you…

Learn how to find and listen to your hunger and fullness cues
Let go of food rules
Ease food fears by debunking nutrition myths
Find new ways to cope without using food (even though food can still be a tool in our tool box!)
Discover what your body needs in any given moment to feel and perform your best and how to fuel yourself accordingly
Learn how to use mindfulness to find pleasure in eating
Manage thoughts about food and body
Learn how to decrease deprivation and increase food satisfaction.

Christy Harrison wrote a great article on what it means to be a Non-Diet Dietitian here.

What is Health At Every Size?

Below is an excerpt from Lindley Ashline’s HAES 101 page:
- “Health at Every Size, or HAES, is a framework for health, wellness and medical care that considers all bodies to be worthy of dignified and respectful care as they exist right now.
- Health at Every Size is a weight-neutral approach to health, which means that ‘a person’s health status, risk level, or quality of life cannot be assumed based solely on a number on a scale. Bodyweight is not as directly and linearly related to higher quality of life and reduced risk of disease as is commonly thought.”
- This doesn’t mean that every person in every body is healthy at this specific moment, but it means that every person can work towards “health” and “healthy behaviors” — whatever that looks like for them. Often we are re-defining what “health” means to them, moving away from diet culture’s typical version. It’s even ok if health is not something someone wants to work towards! Health at Every Size takes into account differences in body size and shape, chronic illness and the social determinants of health.
Learn more here:
- HAES 101
- HAES Approach

What is Intuitive Eating?

Intuitive eating is a science-backed approach to food that rejects diets and rules, encourages body liberation, and shows you how to tune into your body’s hunger, fullness, cravings, and needs.
There are nearly 150 studies to date on Intuitive Eating.
Even if someone does not have their hunger cues or if hunger cues are not very loud or clear (as this often happens with eating disorders, and can happen with ADHD, Autism, Depression, Anxiety etc) we can still begin learning and working on many of the principles of Intuitive Eating.

What is Body Liberation?

“Liberation is freedom from all outside expectations, even our own. Liberation is not having to love your body all the time. Liberation is not asking permission to be included in society’s ideal of beauty. Liberation is bucking the concept of beauty as currency altogether. Liberation is recognizing the systemic issues that surround us and acknowledging that perhaps we’re not able to fix them all on our own. Liberation is personally giving ourselves permission to live life…
Liberation is slowly learning how to become the best version of our whole selves—body included, yes. But it is no longer a requirement on our checklist of self-improvement to learn to love it.”- Jes Baker

My Experience

EDUCATION

I received my Bachelors of Science Degree in Foods and Nutrition, Dietetics from Cal Poly Pomona. From there, I went on to complete my Dietetic Internship through the PHFE WIC program, became a Registered Dietitian, obtained a specialty in eating disorders (CEDRD) and became an Intuitive Eating Counselor. I have been a Registered Dietitian and have worked with eating disorders for over 10 years. I have also spent countless hours getting specialty training in eating disorders, digestive disorders & eating disorders, Trauma Informed dietetic care, ARFID, Binge Eating Disorder and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

WIC

My nutrition career began at PHFE WIC (Women, Infant and Children). I started working at WIC as soon as I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 2008 to gain more experience and stayed over 5 years. I led groups, provided one-on-one nutrition counseling sessions and breastfeeding support, was involved in several committees and completed my Dietetic Internship.

PACIFICA Recovery Eating Disorder Program

I spent several years from 2011-2014 working at an Intensive Outpatient Eating Disorder Program, Pacifica Recovery, located in Claremont, California. At Pacifica, as the staff Dietitian, I provided individual and group nutrition therapy and meal support.

THE CLAREMONT COLLEGES

In addition to my (currently virtual) private practice, as of October 2022, I am working at the Claremont Colleges at Health Education Outreach as the Registered Dietitian where I provide nutrition therapy to students across all campuses. I also work on campus at Claremont McKenna College providing one on one nutrition counseling on campus to CMC students.

I previously worked at the Claremont Colleges from 2014-2016 as a Health Educator/ Dietitian in the Health Education Outreach Department, where I was part of the Eating Disorder Task Force Team (EDTF). The EDTF team's mission was to support students with direct services and provide appropriate referrals to enhance their psychological well-being and physical health. We also provided education consultation, awareness, and outreach services to students, faculty, and staff at The Claremont Colleges.

PRIVATE PRACTICE-Eating disorders, HAES & Intuitive Eating

In 2012, I started my private practice. As an iaedp Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian (CEDRD), Intuitive Eating Counselor and a passion for Health at Every Size, I specialize in treating those with eating disorders and disordered eating. Working in my private practice is truly my dream job. I enjoy helping others find peace with food again, when it had previously felt like it dominated their lives. I approach each of my clients individually and work collaboratively with them to find the best treatment plan necessary to help them reach their goals. With my eating disorder clients, I also work collaboratively with all members of their treatment team to ensure that they receive the best possible care.

CHILD FEEDING

My other extremely fulfilling job is being a mama! After having my son and two daughters I became very interested in child feeding and helping other parents learn how to be good role models when it comes to meal time, feeding themselves and their children, and knowing what to do. It can all be very confusing! I believe that creating a healthy relationship with food and body begins at birth. Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility is at the heart of my practice. In addition, I have experience leading groups at Kaiser Permanente talking about Baby’s First Solids and Baby Led Weaning.

Sports nutrition

Sports Nutrition is another specialty of mine. I have been an athlete my whole life and have seen first hand what can happen when an athlete isn't properly fueled. I have experience working with the athletes at the Claremont Colleges and have given nutrition talks to specialty athletic teams such as the adidas Legacy Elite Running Team.